Research

Prof. Ross' research is directed towards the magnetic properties of thin films and small structures, particularly for data storage and logic applications, and towards methods for creating nanoscale structures based on directed self-assembly and lithography. Current research on magnetic materials includes the synthesis and characterization of magnetic nanostructures for domain wall logic devices, the behavior of 360 degree domain walls, magnetic metallic particles formed by templated dewetting, magnetoelasticity, magnetic perovskites such as Fe- and Co-substituted strontium titanate, magnetooptical materials for integrated optical isolators, and self-assembled oxide nanocomposites. Ross also studies the self-assembly of block copolymers and develops methods for templating self-assembly in order to form well-organized structures useful in nanoscale fabrication and devices. The Thin Film Laboratory includes a pulsed laser deposition system and an ultra-high vacuum sputter system, in addition to a range of magnetic, magnetooptical, and magnetoelectronic characterization equipment.

Recent News

Newswise — MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (11/13/2018) — The University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering announced today that it will lead and house a new $10.3 million Center for Spintronic Materials in Advanced Information Technologies (SMART) focused on novel materials for advanced… more

When Takian Fakhrul was a young girl, her father, then a graduate student in materials science at the University of Manchester, would bring her along to his lab. During these visits, she would peek at structures under the microscopes or watch him polish newly synthesized materials. And she just… more

From simulating the physics of spinning magnetic particles to fabricating new materials for infrared chemical sensing, MIT Materials Research Laboratory summer researchers will challenge themselves to learn new skills and develop new scientific insights.
A diverse group of top-performing… more

Hosted annually by our friends at MPC, Materials Day includes a topical symposium followed by a student poster session. This year the symposium will be broad in scope and will involve primarily speakers from MIT. The theme will be Frontiers in Materials Research. Presentations will be given by speakers who represent MIT’s new generation of leaders in material research. more

Nature Magazine published a paper written by Prof. Geoffrey Beach and his collaborator Prof. Caroline Ross who have shown that a pure spin current can be injected into in an electrically insulating material, and be used to switch its magnetization direction.
This is striking because, in… more

Electrical, Optical, and Magnetic Materials and Devices
In 3.15x we will explore the electrical, optical, and magnetic properties of materials and learn how electronic devices are designed to exploit these properties.
About this Course
This course… more